nuffnang

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Time passed by ever so quickly. My routine was like always - normal. I attended tutorials and lectures in the mornings and early afternoons. By 5:00 p.m. sharp I was always ready standing inside the chicken supply outlet, working.

Day after day I improved my skills at the chicken store. My job was to serve customers. I had to pack whatever chicken parts customers chose to buy. The job was rather exciting. I met new friends, and fortunately they were all friendly.

The store had a sentimental value to me. That’s the place where I met my husband. (That’s another story I might or might not tell you later - it’s kinda private so I have to decide whether to publish it or not).

After the incident of the female voice, my life turned out to be pretty normal again. However, I became very cautious each time before I went to bed. I felt as if the voice would attack me any time.

I reminded myself over and over again not to close my eyes before I finished reading at least some of the powerful verses.

In that way, I would feel much safer. I also reminded myself to never sleep on my back again.

A couple of sober months passed by without anything bothering me anymore. But, one unlucky night strange things started to invade me again.

And that time it didn’t only disturb me, but Aishah as well.

The story went like this:

On a particular Friday, as usual I would stay at my apartment. It was my day off from work, so I rested and chatted with Aishah until 11:00 p.m. We didn’t have assignments to complete, all were done and sent to our lecturers.

We talked about almost everything. Saturday was a holiday and I didn’t work on Saturdays too. So we just relaxed and had a good time together.

We went to bed rather late. It was about 1:00 a.m. Being quite sleepy, I didn’t think much about anything. I just lay down on my bed. I guessed I dozed off quite easily.

The next morning, I noticed Aishah didn’t look as cheery as usual. Her cheeks were pale, almost as if blood sucked out of her face. I asked her what happened. She told me something that made me shiver all over.

“Shanis… there must be something wrong with this room, or… I don’t know what it is. But I saw a figure roaming off in this room last night.” Aishah said with a serious expression.

“A figure?” I said in a whisper, barely heard by Aishah.

“Yes. A figure of a girl. And the most scary thing is… the figure looks exactly like you.” Aishah added, with a hoarse voice. She almost broke down crying, terrified to remember the scary incident.

I didn’t move for quite a while. I tried to figure out what to say to Aishah. I didn’t want her to be more terrified.

“Are you sure it wasn’t me? I mean… maybe I was sleep-walking. Did you peep down to see whether I was on my bed?” I asked, trying to be nonchalant and not disturbed by Aishah’s words.

I gazed at Aishah’s eyes. I knew she was very sure that it wasn’t me. And I was sure too… because I knew I never walked in my sleep. If I did, I must had been waking up and discovering myself at odd places.

Aishah nodded several times to confirm her believe.

“I peeped down but I didn’t see your face. But I could see your long legs protuding out of the end of the double-decker. I am very sure you were sleeping on your bed when it happened.”

I kept myself silence. Actually I didn’t know what to say. I felt whatever ghosts that are trying to bother me, they are getting closer and closer to me. And I knew they are trying to make me into something that I didn’t know yet.

“Don’t worry, Aishah. As long as I am here, I’ll protect you. I know the thing is after me, not you.” I persuaded Aishah, hoping that she would feel relieved.

“But why?” Aishah asked, her face troubled. She seemed concerned.

“I don’t know. There must be a reason. But sooner or later the reason will be revealed. Time will tell.” I answered with a little sigh.

I prayed deeply in my heart. Please don’t make my life miserable. I know you are there, God. I believe everything that happens must be a reason behind it. It is my responsiblity to search for the reason.

That Saturday, I told Aishah a bit here and there about my strange experiences that began from the first day I entered the boarding school, until then.

From that day onwards, Aishah looked at me in a different perspective. But we became closer than ever, and that was the most important thing in the world.